


Ruby Slippers

by firbolging



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Caleb Is In Love, F/M, Jester Is Not Okay, Marion Realises Caleb Is In Love, Mild Angst, Mostly Fluff, mild panic attack
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-17
Updated: 2019-09-17
Packaged: 2020-10-20 15:37:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,260
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20677784
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/firbolging/pseuds/firbolging
Summary: “You have a very charming daughter,” he’d said when they’d first met. And then, “Your daughter is so charming,” when they’d met again.Which was barely the half of it. Compliments spilt forth from him with such ease it made her wonder. Not that she was in the business of prying. And not that it mattered what he felt if her daughter did not reciprocate. Still. Once a person develops the talent for seeing when a man is in love, it is difficult to ignore. She saw love on his face when he looked at Jester. Heard it in his voice when he spoke of her. The cogs of evidence turned without fault.





	Ruby Slippers

**Author's Note:**

> this isn't exactly what I wanted it to be but when is anything right?

Marion never stopped worrying for her daughter. Not for a single second. Not even when she saw her whole and alive before her eyes. What remained was the worry that the world would break her in some irreparable way; her brightness seemed to grow a little more subdued with every visit. Then there was the unspoken fear between them. That perhaps that particular visit would be the last one.

The last few times she had seen Jester, she had seemed physically well, but her face betrayed heartache.

“Has he been taking care of you?” Marion had asked, eyes burning into the half-orc.

A ripple of tension rushed outwards, hitting Jester hardest. And there was a stumbling swallow before she replied, on his behalf, “Oh, yeah.”

Perhaps Marion had misunderstood. There was something sad in her little voice. And something sadder still on the face of the redheaded man.

Caleb.

_This is Caleb. He is a wizard. He has a lot of fire and stuff. He likes books. And he used to smell bad but he doesn’t anymore. He likes water now._

He had cleaned up well. His auburn hair was handsomely tied back and his ragged coat had been exchanged for a stunning purple. No wear or tear in sight.

“You have a very charming daughter,” he’d said when they’d first met. And then, “Your daughter is so charming,” when they’d met again.

Which was barely the half of it. Compliments spilt forth from him with such ease it made her wonder. Not that she was in the business of prying. And not that it mattered what he felt if her daughter did not reciprocate.

Still.

Once a person develops the talent for seeing when a man is in love, it is difficult to ignore. She saw love on his face when he looked at Jester. Heard it in his voice when he spoke of her. The cogs of evidence turned without fault.

* * *

Beau’s snoring rang out through their shared room, as cacophonous and deafening as ever. And Jester could not sleep.

These two facts had nothing to do with one another.

Jester had grown so used to the sound, had grown so very fond of the reminder that she was not alone. It was the room itself that was wrong. It was the bedsheets. It was the curtains. It was the Rosohna air that disturbed them.

With a disgruntled huff, she got herself up and, careful to not wake Beau, packed all of her things and buttoned up her coat. The floor creaked beneath her boots and she hoped no one was alerted to her movements. If they were, they did not investigate, and she made it to Caleb’s bedroom door without interference. She was sure he would be sleeping, but this could not wait. It just couldn’t. And so, swallowing the tiny butterfly flaps of guilt and the heavy gull-like wings of embarrassment, Jester rapped on the door.

She heard the unmistakable sounds of waking, of bed springs, of bare feet hitting the floor. Then she heard a rustling of papers and a muttering of spellcasting.

“Caleb,” she stage-whispered. “It’s me!”

The door swung open and revealed Caleb, frazzled and uncombed. He was wearing those adorable tartan pyjamas of red and blue.

“Is everything okay?” he asked at once, inspecting her appearance, no doubt searching for evidence of injury.

“Everything is totally cool,” she said, working overtime to keep her tone bright. “I just need-” Jester broke off, distracted by the slightly squared shape to his pyjamas. “Are you wearing your books right now?”

“I always wear my books. You know this.”

“Even when you sleep?”

“You’ve seen me sleep many times. I always have the books.”

“Yeah, but that’s when we’re camping on a forest floor or in, like, an evil demon grave, Caleb. This is your room! I mean, isn’t that super uncomfortable?”

“I’m used to it. Enough of my outfit, why are you all dressed to go out?”

Her face was aflutter with pinpricks. And, when she spoke, it was as though she was hearing her own voice carry from another room.

“I need you to take me home."

Without missing a beat, he said, “Okay. Give me five minutes to get changed.”

“No, Caleb, you don’t have to do that. You don’t have to come with me.”

Caleb fixed her with a stare, understanding cold and hard in his blue eyes.

“If I do not come with you,” he began, steadily, “How will you return to us?”

Jester felt herself tremble from chin to knees. Tears were not far from falling and she could not bear it. She placed a shaking hand to her mouth as though it might be enough to stifle.

Caleb did not move.

“Jester,” he continued. Soft and sweet. Unbearable. “You do not need to pretend with me. What is the matter?”

Her words burst out in an irritated whine of, “I don’t want to talk about it, okay! Everything’s great. It’s all cool. I just need to go home right now.” She swallowed hard. “Okay?”

“Okay.”

“Good.”

“But I’m coming with you.”

“Caleb!”

“Just to see you home safe.”

Without meaning to, she snapped at him, “I don’t need you to protect me, Caleb.”

“I know. It’s for my peace of mind, not yours. Let’s go.”

Perhaps noting the frantic, restlessness she was barely containing, Caleb did not waste time getting changed. Still very much in his pyjamas, he toed on his boots and pulled on his coat. It took all thirty seconds and Jester was beginning to feel another outburst of impatience bubbling beneath her surface.

“I’m ready,” he said. “Do you want to send a message ahead to Yussa?”

Kicking at dust, Jester called out, “Hey, Mister Yussa, it’s the blue girl and Caleb. We’re coming through your place. Okay, bye.” Ending the spell, she turned to Caleb and said, “Can we go now? Please.”

He gave a single, short nod and dropped to his knees before her. A minute of hasty scrawling later and they were in Nicodranas.

* * *

Marion did not have a terribly strict sleep schedule. Many clients visited during daylight, many others during the dead of night. She tried to avoid men who treated her like a disgusting secret, but they paid so very well, all the more for her silence.

It was fine.

She knew better than to feel shame on behalf of others.

It was long gone midnight when she began to ready herself for bed that night, and though she was in her dressing gown, hair loose and face clean, she was not asleep when she heard a stirring from outside her rooms.

“Blude?” she called out.

“Mama!” came a familiar voice in reply.

Marion’s heart picked up and she hurried over to open her doors and greet her daughter.

“Jester!” she cried, seeing her little sapphire there before her. “It is so good to see you.”

“Oh, mama!”

Jester leapt into her arms.

“Is everything alright, my darling?” she asked, clutching Jester close but looking around for some sort of explanation. “Where are your friends?” When Jester pulled back, tears were glistening upon her round face. “Jester? What is the matter?”

“I don’t know. I don’t know,” said Jester, sobs shaking her whole body. "I just don't know."

“Come in and talk with me, okay?”

Jester nodded and allowed her mother to lead her further into their private rooms. On one of the comfier couches, the two women settled; Marion on the pillows and Jester burrowing into her mother. They had not laid that way for some time and yet they slipped into the position with complete ease.

“Now, my little sapphire,” said Marion softly, “What is troubling you?”

Jester pressed her face impossibly closer to Marion’s chest and begun to tell her everything. Really, truly, everything, it seemed. The worst of her adventures rather than the shiny abridged stories she’d painted for her mother during every other visit. Marion had suspected there were greater dangers than she ever let on, but what was revealed in that hour shook her to her very core. She swallowed down her desire to shut Jester back in her bedroom, to lock the door this time and to never allow her to see the sun. Above her instinct to protect, was her love for her daughter. She was a part of the world and becoming whoever it was she was always meant to be. Marion could not deny her that. Even when tested.

“Mama,” said Jester. Her heart broke. “Mama, can I please just stay here with you? I don’t want to go back. I don’t want to lose anyone else. I don’t want to see anymore dead people.”

Marion shushed her babbling and stroked her blue hair.

“I don’t think that’s what you really want,” she said. “I think you’d miss the adventure. And I know you’d miss your friends.”

“I could still see them. They could come for dinner sometimes. If they don’t die first.”

Jester sobbed harder and Marion rocked her as best she could, given her size.

“And if you weren’t there to protect them?” she asked. “Would you ever forgive yourself?”

It hurt to say it, to encourage her daughter to walk the path of danger. But the world was too big for Jester to indulge in the same anxieties as her mother. And she was strong. And she was brave. Getting stronger and braver every day.

“No,” said Jester. “No, I’d hate myself forever. Oh, God!” she groaned. “I’m so embarrassed.”

“Don’t be embarrassed.”

“I should be more of a grown up.”

“There’s nothing more grown up than admitting things are hard.” Jester laughed. “And besides,” Marion pressed on, “This can be our secret.”

“And Caleb’s.”

“Excuse me?”

Jester let out another groan.

“I woke Caleb up. I asked him to send me here and I told him,” she laughed, wiping her face dry, “I said I never wanted to go back. I think he knew that wasn’t exactly true though. He was super insistent that he come here with me. So, I’d have a way back. Which I thought was stupid like an hour ago.”

“He’s here now?”

“Yeah. Blude showed him to an empty room. Is that okay?”

“Of course. I just didn’t realise you’d brought one of your friends.”

“I didn’t invite him,” said Jester, sounding half-fond, half-irritated. “He just decided to come along anyway.”

“So you’d have a way back.”

“I guess so.”

“Why don’t you get some sleep? Everything will be better in the morning.”

“Oh, but, Mama, people are going to want to know why I ran.”

Marion pressed a kiss to Jester’s temple and said, “We will worry about it in the morning, okay?”

* * *

Marion did not know why she expected Caleb to be sleeping. When you are in love, it is hard to sleep at the best of times, let alone when the object of your affections was suffering.

When he answered the door, he looked surprised. He had expected to see Jester, she was sure of it. He was wearing pyjamas along with a purple coat (which clashed terribly) and boots, but it was clear that he had not just awoken.

“Caleb?” she said softly, hating herself for giving into the urge to pry. “I am sorry to disturb you, but I was wondering if I could have a quick word?”

He fumbled with nothing in particular, hand worrying at his side, his face the picture of composure.

“Of course,” he replied, stepping aside to let her in.

As the door shut them both in, his nerves visibly heightened.

“Is Jester alright?” he asked. “I mean, I know she’s not… alright. But she’s not worse than when I last saw her, is she?”

“She’s better. She’s sleeping. I wanted to thank you for bringing her to me.”

“Oh, it was no trouble.”

Marion narrowed her eyes and said, “Judging by your attire, I can assume that’s not entirely true.” He opened his mouth to respond, but she continued, “It is clear that you care for Jester.”

“Well, she is, you know, she is very-”

“Charming?” she finished for him.

“Ja.”

“Do you mind if we speak frankly?”

Worry rimmed him blue eyes, but he gave a slight nod of agreement regardless.

“You are in love with her,” she said.

It was not a question and he did not do her the disservice of denying it. Or perhaps he was too frozen in fear to even try. The fumbling had ceased, giving way to complete stillness. While his composed, if a little worried, face fell into something akin to shock.

She waited for him to swallow the situation.

A full minute passed before he said, voice raw, “I am not… that is to say…”

“I love my daughter. More than anything in the world. And I have no intention of meddling in her affairs, I simply wish to ensure you care for her in the right way.”

“I care for her. Very much. I do not know how else to say it. But I will always treat her well, if that is what you are asking.

“And if she does not return your affections?” Her words and tone were both as blunt as she could muster. It would not do to allow for any misunderstanding between the two of them. “I have been pursued by enough angry men. I do not wish the same on my daughter.”

He looked horrified by the very implication of it. Not offended. Not guarded. Not angry. Horrified.

Good, she thought.

“Frau Lavorre,” he said, his voice thick. “I cannot promise myself to be a good man. In fact,” he let out a choked laughed, “I can promise you I am not. But your daughter’s happiness is paramount. I… I think perhaps, of all things.”

She watched him carefully as he spoke; he told no lies.

“We have that in common,” she said. He nodded. “But, tell me, what if she does return your affections?”

“That is,” he laughed once more, “It is certainly an interesting hypothetical. But, I am not a delusional man.”

“And yet,” she said firmly. “If she loves you, will you treat her as she deserves?”

“She deserves a better person than I. Nothing I could ever do would compensate for that fact.”

“I think that would be for her to decide, don’t you?”

He did not meet her eye.

“Caleb?”

“It is not worth entertaining.”

“Then you would break her heart? If it came to that, of course.”

“If it ever came to that, I should have to be honest with her. About everything. All affection on her part would come to a rather hasty end, I think."

Marion could see how deeply he believed his words and saw them running circles around one another for hours should she argue.

“Well,” she said. “Let us shelf this conversation for now. It’s late and this is all speculation.”

“That is a wonderful plan, Frau Lavorre.”

So polite.

“Goodnight, Caleb.”

“Goodnight.”

“I won’t tell Jester.”

“I assumed. Or I'd hoped,” he fumbled before settling, finally, on, “Thank you.”

* * *

Jester's body allowed for three hours of sleep before she became restless once more. And so completely embarrassed. It was properly morning, but she suspected Caleb was sleeping in. She had, after all, thoroughly disturbed his night’s rest. As the sun rose over Nicodranas, Jester disturbed him once more.

“Hi,” she breathed, seeing his sleepy face and feeling her heart warm. 

“Hi,” he replied, equally breathy, leaning on the door as he held it open.

“Sorry for waking you again.”

“It’s fine.”

His nose crinkled when he spoke sometimes. She wondered why she’d never paid that much attention before.

“So, listen,” she said, flushing a little. “Can we go back now?”

She felt so foolish. Just six short hours ago she had declared that she was going home and staying there forever. He did not remind her of this, however. It was not in his nature to kick people while they were down.

“I thought you wanted to spend time with your mother,” he said.

“Caleb,” she began.

He interrupted, “There is nothing pressing happening back in Rosohna. Let us stay for a few more hours at least.”

“I cast sending and told Nott we’d gone shopping for parchment and ink. I don’t think they’ll believe that took us all day.” He raised a single eyebrow and she buckled. “I just don’t want them to know I freaked out, okay?”

He gave her one of those unbearable looks. Patient and concerned and understanding all at once.

“There is nothing to be ashamed of,” he said finally.

“I know that,” she snapped, a little too hastily to be believable, she knew. “I just don’t want them to try and talk to me about it. I don’t want them looking at me like there’s something we should be talking about.”

“Then we will come up with an elaborate story.” She nodded gratefully. “But,” he said. She met his gaze, eyes wide and brows heavy. His tone grew firmer as he pressed on, “But, you have to promise me something.”

”I do?”

“Let me take you home more often.”

“Caleb.”

“It would be no trouble and I… I hate to see you so upset. I know you’ve been troubled for some time. And I know that there is nothing you love more than your mother. So I want you to promise to tell me every time you miss home. Even if it’s only a little.”

“Yussa will get annoyed, I think.”

“I will deal with Yussa.”

Something between a laugh and a sob escaped her as she flung her arms around him and buried her face into his shoulder.

“I feel stupid,” she said, so quietly she wasn’t certain he’d heard her.

But Caleb, all-knowing, ever-attentive Caleb said, “You are anything but.”

He held her as best as he could manage, but he was stiff and awkward as ever. She knew that this sort of thing was not his forte and was certain he’d pull back at any moment. Before he could so much as begin to entertain the notion, Jester tightened her grip on him.

“You don’t have to be okay all the time, you know?” he said.

With one hand on the back of his neck, she whispered, “Thank you, Caleb,” and placed a soft but firm kiss to his jaw.

A slight stubble tickled her lips. He was due for a shave and something in her became suddenly torn. Between the dizzying sensation of his scruff against her cheek and the desire to see his face fully and unobscured. Which was a stupid thought. Because it was Caleb and yes, he was handsome and yes he had gone from smelling like a gutter to smelling like camp fire, and polished wood, and ink, and home. Two homes for one heart. It was too much at times. She was torn between too many things, Caleb’s beard (or lack thereof) the very least of it.

But perhaps it was worth it for moments like this, she thought. To put one home inside another and feel her heart burst from the love of it all.

They parted and he smiled with his mouth, eyes showing a semblance of panic.

One last thought, before they left, struck her.

She wondered how long she would have to hold him before he grew accustomed to the sensation. Before he allowed her to give him as much as he gave her.

**Author's Note:**

> thank you so much! please kudos and comment if you enjoyed <3


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